Serena Williams in Hollywood in November. Dan and Emma strolled in the streets near Three Lakes, Wisconsin, in September 2020 with Bud. Ultimately, any founder who wins an investment from Serena Ventures will also have gone through a couple of rounds of interviews with Williams and Stillman. The funds limited partners include Norwest Venture Partners, Capital G (Alphabets growth fund) and LionTree. cat: 'entrepreneurship', Serena Williamss early-stage venture capital firm, Serena Ventures, has raised an inaugural fund of $111 million that will invest in founders with diverse points of view, she told the DealBook newsletter. There has been a lot of innovation outside of the home, but now with consumers spending most of their days at home we have the opportunity to think through how to make home life better. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); Alison Rapaport Stillman is a Founding General Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. "We know that what you're selling us at the pre-seed or seed probably isn't going to look like what the Series B investor sees at some level," she said. Thats just the way of the land. The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. Business partners. } Still, one key factor the firm looks for in an investment opportunity is whether the company is tapping into a sizable market that it's excited about. This post is intended solely for general informational or educational purposes only. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. In early August, the 23-time Grand Slam champion wrote in an essay for Vogue that she would be retiring from tennis. Alison married Alec Stillman in October 2020, and they welcomed a daughter named Lucy in February 2023. This post was written in collaboration withAsif Yahiya Sukri LLP. I was at a conference and Caryn Seidman-Becker, the founder of CLEAR, was on stage and she said less than 2% of all VC money goes to women. Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. Previously, Alison worked at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi- Asset Solutions and led the development of the firms Alternative Beta offering. cnx.cmd.push(function() { Dan Rapaport sister is named Alison Rapaport Stillman. Another way Alison recommends sourcing diverse deal flow is by not requiring a warm intro. } Alison: We are in a moment when people have finally realized that inequity exists in all aspects of life what many of us have known for a long time. tag: 'mandc,black-venture-capitalists,newsletter-lead,serena-ventures,serena-williams,vc', "The founder can't be doing everything," Stillman said. My fianc and I have had her for about two months. Serena Ventures investments include MasterClass, Andela, Mayvenn, Tonal and Noom, to name a few. Quoting its founder, Serena, I am by no means alone in my mission to build an inclusive venture capital landscape. Europe, Menlo Park, China), Where the person is located (e.g. Plenty of its portfolio companies come from Silicon Valley, but two of its most recent investments came from North Carolina and Wisconsin. cnx({ In a December 2020 interview with the HBS Alumni Bulletin, Stillman describes the duos skill sets as different and super complementary. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', Stillman said long emails and 10-page business plans, on the other hand, were not welcome. The views expressed herein are as at the date of this summary and are subject to change without notice. Insider chatted with Stillman about how to land a spot in the Serena Ventures portfolio. Each day is a learning experience, Im learning all the things that I would have had I taken venture classes at school. Those include "business opportunity, founder fit, business model, and mission alignment," she told Insider by email. Contact Alison's role is Manager: Sep 10, 2022, 7:00 AM Serena Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). subcat: '', Stillman said it scored companies in due diligence across a number of metrics. My friends were asking questions that I didnt have the answers to, but I got better with time and more practice. Marc inspired him to pursue a career in golf at the age of 4 as Dan grew up with a sister. According to the National Venture Capital Association data, only 4% of the people who work in venture capital are Black. From an early age, Rapaport began swinging his golf club, and because of this, he has an in-depth knowledge of the ins and outs of the sport. Alison Stillman Goes By Allison Stillman Nashville, TN Age: 67 Full Name: Allison Stillman Current Home Address: 5329 Old Village Rd Nashville TN 37211 "I am one proud little brother!!" Her firm, Serena Ventures, is an active angel investor with a portfolio of 60 companies. They just share a same surname but have no family ties. Venture is one of the most inequitable places to work. Alison Rapaport is a Partner at Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund founded by tennis superstar Serena Williams in 2014. The investment firm led by the tennis star is already an active angel investor with a portfolio of 60 companies that includes SendWave, MasterClass and Daily Harvest. He then introduced me to Chris Lyons at Andreessen Horowitzs Cultural Leadership Fund, who encouraged me to lean into my skill set to support world-class athletes who would like to get into venture but dont have the investment background. Dana: What trends are you excited to see in the world of consumer? The FDA nears final approval on vaccines for young kids, women feel unprepared for menopause, and Zola adds a co-CEO. In October 2020, the duo enjoyed a family lunch with their parents at a cosy restaurant in LA, California. She earned Bachelor of Science degree in Finance & Operations from the campus. She works alongside the tennis superstar Serena Williams in overseeing the business and sourcing new investments. WebVisit Alison Rapaport Stillman and Stillman Stillmans Baby Registry on Babylist. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? Alison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { William states, Its fun to get in there. Dana: The goal of Serena Ventures is to make everyday lives better. How does this manifest in the companies that you choose to invest in? For aspiring founders, Williams' retirement opens a window of opportunity. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco Bay Area, West Coast, and the Western US. Serena Williams, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures and Alison Rapaport Stillman, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures. He has been in the industry for four decades. Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014. Dan took to Instagram to post a picture of the two as they flaunt the ring from a resort rooftop in Friday Harbor, Washington. Her Instagram feed is overflowing with many images capturing the cherished moments of their romantic love life. She is a founding partner at Serena Ventures after joining the capital fund company in 2018. When he posted an Ask Me Anything during Q&A sessions, one user commented whether he is related to Ian or Michael, to which he replied, "Negative." There is no surprise element that the primary reason why women and entrepreneurs of color struggle to access venture funding is the ignorant nature of VCs. cat: 'entrepreneurship', Each day is a learning experience, Im learning all the things that I would have had I taken venture classes at school. Serena believes in taking on and nurturing the firms early, which is reflected in the funds investments as three-fourths of the total investment belongs to the seed stage category. After graduating from Harvard, Alison joined the Jefferies & Company as an banking analyst in June 2009. Her partner Alison Rapaport Stillman backs Serena while stating that VCs ignore products and services made for audiences theyre unfamiliar with, even those representing massive markets with loyal customers. Allows traders to buy and sell bitcoin in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space. The same was kept secret until April 17, 2019, when the tennis star took to Instagram to post about it. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman, Serena Ventures. Serena Ventures doesnt require that its founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds, though it says about three-quarters of its portfolio company founders do. I want to highlight that we do not invest in women and people of color to simply check a box, Rapaport Stillman told the online publication All Raise. The company is their baby! Investors claiming they cant find opportunities to invest in women and founders of color probably arent trying hard enough, said Alison. Serena Ventures, the venture capital fund backed and founded in 2017 by Serena Williams. Web2,862 Followers, 1,028 Following, 315 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ali Jo Rapaport Stillman (@ali_jo_rap_stillman) The General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. When I eventually presented the pitches to Serena, she asked the same questions that I had worked to prepare for. WebAlison J. Rapaport, CFA, is a Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. All third party links in this post have not been independently verified by 500 Startups and the inclusion of such links should not be interpreted as an endorsement or confirmation of the content within. ]); She makes you feel comfortable, as if youre not talking to the greatest athlete of all time. Dan does not have a brother and Alison is his only sibling. Thanks for being part of ours! Television. On our Rise of the Next podcast, Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng tell us how Butlr, which provides insights into commercial space usage, pivoted during the pandemic. Review address history and property records. WebDiscover any aliases as well as possible relatives and associates of Alison Rapaport Stillman. However, just like in tennis, Serena does not believe in following the herd mentality while taking on investments. Entrepreneurs Summit Emma also posted a picture on her Instagram as they shared a passionate kiss after he popped her the question. Dan and Marc enjoying golf during dusk in Cabot Cliffs, July 2019 ( Source : instagram ). Nacho lover That includes looking at digital learning as a supplement and a way to attack inequities in traditional education systems. Previous to Serena Ventures, Alison worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase, as well as in talent management for several athletes. Partner @Serenaventures. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', The General partner is Alison Rapport Stillman. One meeting led to another and the next thing you know, Im working at Serena Ventures. That fact naturally attracts diverse deal flow, because founders identify with the investment team and see Serena Ventures as a safe place to share their vision. The former Sports Illustrated writer denied any connection with Ian via a Reddit post in 2018. Business partners. Marc started his job in 1983 as a banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert. After graduating from Brentwood school, Alison studied psychology for a while before enrolling at the Wharton School. Always ready for a new challenge, she started out by asking a lot of questions, then investing in a fund, and then becoming an angel investor. The pair hiked along rugged coastlines, through thick forests admiring all the beauty they witnessed. It is not us versus them. Serena is such a smart and driven person. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Ultimately, Stillman believes that a Serena Ventures company is defined by three qualities. And that needs to happen across the board.. Venture capitalists tend to believe in founders who feel familiar and thereby move forward to fund them. Venture is one of the most inequitable places to work. Serena Ventures was about to announce a historic $111 million raise that would change the world. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman finds that VCs still ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner, Alison's role is Manager: Owner & Partner, Partner. Ian Rapaport a television analyst and pundit for National Football League (NFL) ( Source : instagram ). They have scheduled their marriage on June 10, 2023. Marc attend Dan's game for the first time as an audience in August 2020 at Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Scarsdale, New York ( Source : instagram ). Previously, Alison was a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase and Read More Contact Alison Stillman's Phone Number and Email Last Update 11/24/2022 9:52 AM Email a***@serenaventures.com Engage via Email Contact Number (***) ***-**** Engage via It helps that Serena Ventures has a diverse team led by women. Have a great Thursday. Ive watched all of Face Off, a show where people go head-to-head with special effects and makeup. tude.cmd.push(function() { https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/business/serena-williams-venture-fund.html. Required fields are marked *. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; At the end of the day, Alison says VCs have a responsibility to change the way they do things and see new ideas and perspectives on markets. Alison's role is Manager: I want to highlight that we do not invest in women and people of color to simply check a box. They had one problem: their brand didnt reflect who they were as a firm- or as people. Her partner Alison Rapaport Stillman backs Serena while stating that VCs ignore products and services made for audiences theyre unfamiliar with, even those representing massive markets with loyal customers. The firm, which announced an $111 million fund in March, already included a portfolio of 60 firms from Williams earliest investment activity; she wrote one of the first checks for Masterclass, and was also an early backer of Dan Rapaport sister is named Alison Rapaport Stillman. Serena Ventures partner Alison Rapaport Stillman finds that VCs still ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets. WebDiscover any aliases as well as possible relatives and associates of Alison Rapaport Stillman. August 10, 2022, 5:31 AM PDT. But it is important to have a founder who can be self-aware, handle feedback, and build a team to help them be successful. By: Julia Hanna, Demographics-Race-African American, Black, Alumna-Led Reproductive Health Startup Raises $4.7 Million. Amongst the portfolio of more than 50 companies, 60% of the founders are women or people of color. General Partner Alison Rapaport Stillman, who majored in finance and operations at Wharton as an undergrad, has said people have finally realized that inequity exists in all aspects of life. WebAlison Rapaport Stillman is a Founding General Partner at Serena Ventures, overseeing portfolio management and sourcing new investments. Alison Rapaport is a Partner at Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund founded by tennis superstar Serena Williams in 2014. When Serena Williams announced her retirement earlier this month, there was plenty of talk of the tennis superstars 23 Grand Slam titles. Serena Ventures Serena Williams launched Serena Ventures in 2014 and has invested in over 60 companies. Previously, Alison worked at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in Multi- Asset Solutions and led the development of the firms Alternative Beta offering. The two cherished couple, beaming happy in the early morning, enjoyed an excellent breakfast as she held a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle. Alison Rapaport is a Partner at Serena Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund founded by tennis superstar Serena Williams in 2014. Yet, because of the areas they want to serve, Alison says they still naturally fund women, Black and Latinx founders. That constant sense of regret for not having taken up golf at a younger age compelled him not to let his kids have the same mistake. BE 100s A week later, she asked me to come to her house and present some ideas to her. Sitting in a room for six months brainstorming to find a white space with a huge market opportunity is not the way to build a company. This is something Ive been doing for a really, really, really long time and its something that I absolutely love and Im super passionate about., Despite her busy schedule, Williams spends six or seven hours a day on her investing work: I love looking at new companies, I love talking to founders, I absolutely love passing on the knowledge that Ive been able to get and being able to impact other people.. Try not to control everything. Some of Alison Stillman's colleagues are Alison Rapaport, Amy Berliner, Kyra Mccarty, Alison Rapapaort, Olivia Griffian, Serena Williams, Jair Bobbitt, Veronica Reaves. The latest Tweets from Alison Stillman (@alison_stillman). Below, Stillman explains how the firm evaluates prospective investments and what makes the winners stand out. Since 2014, Serena Ventures has championed founders whose perspectives and innovations level the playing field for women and people of color. But she still finds that VCs ignore products and services made for audiences theyre not familiar with, even those representing massive markets with loyal customers. Even with her success and her privilege, she knows shes held to a different standard as a Black woman. Every company that we invest in isnt meant for Alison Rapaport Stillman and I know that, she said. The founder should find people with experience or a particular skill set to offer advice to prepare them for the ups and downs. To conclude, Serena Ventures will continue to invest in companies that embrace diverse leadership, individual empowerment, creativity, and opportunity and achieve its goal of making a difference. With a presence in the USA, India and the MENA region, they ensure that all of your financial decisions are made carefully and with your best interests in mind. SERENA VENTURES. And also, its very authentic. For fans of Williams, this year's US Open was likely a bittersweet moment. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Serena Williams, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures and Alison Rapaport Stillman, founding and managing partner at Serena Ventures. kw: 'mandc,black-venture-capitalists,newsletter-lead,serena-ventures,serena-williams,vc', My first time pitching was terrible. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. That includes looking at digital learning as a supplement and a way to attack inequities in traditional education systems. And the only way to change those numbers was to be the person writing the big checks.. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Fund Budgeting & Cash Flow Management What are the financial nuts and bolts of launching and managing a venture fund? Alison graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania. You can find her on Twitter. Sep 10, 2022, 7:00 AM Serena Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. Dana Iverson is a contributing writer at All Raise. It also helps that a byproduct of working with diverse entrepreneurs is that it leads to a more diverse deal flow. WebVisit Alison Rapaport Stillman and Stillman Stillmans Baby Registry on Babylist. This mindset allows us to have a broad and holistic approach to invest in FinTech, Wellness, and everything in between. I felt that it was an opportunity to combine my skill set with a mission and make a difference. Serena Ventures also works with accelerators (including 500 Startups) and diversity-focused funds to source leads and looks at opportunities that originate outside significant startup hubs. Upon learning that just two percent of funding goes to female founders, Williams made a strategic commitment to diversity and inclusion; today, 78 percent of founders backed by Serena Ventures are women or people of color. As a world-class athlete, businesswoman, philanthropist and mother, Serena Williams knows what it takes to win. They make strategic decisions, manage finances and develop business plans. Their most recent diversity investment was on December 5, 2020, when Kiira Health raised. Ive been watching a lot of reruns of reality shows. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. Dana Iverson: What got you into venture, and what is keeping you here? They may not be networked to them, and thats something that you can fix. An obvious solution is building a diverse team and creating internal opportunities for people with non-traditional VC backgrounds, which creates access to those wider networks. Williams first started investing a little over nine years ago because of what she calls a natural draw to technology and a desire to be involved with all of the startups she was seeing pop up in the space. SERENA VENTURES. env: 'prod', More than half of the firm's portfolio companies were founded by women, and more than three-fourths were founded by people from historically underrepresented backgrounds, according to the firm's website. My puppy Zoe. The podcaster at Barstool Sports dedicated a tweet in April 2020 to appreciate Marc for everything he had done for Dan and a special gratification for introducing him to this beautiful game. Serena Ventures is led by world-class athlete, businesswoman, and philanthropist Serena Williams, and Alison Rapaport Stillman, who has previously worked at J.P. Morgan, Wasserman, and Melo7Tech Partners. tude.cmd.push(function() { SistersInc. pos: 'right_rail_2', Take trading cards, something Alison has never cared aboutthat is until alternative assets boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While interviewing for jobs, she was the only person who I felt would empower me to succeed. The same goes for actor Michael Rapaport. As a result, they were able to provide for their children. During my time at Harvard Business School, I had the opportunity to work with Melo7 Tech Partners, where I was exposed to the world of VC. Stay up to date with what you want to know. Business partners. Alison Stillman has been with Serena Ventures for a few months and is in Owner What is Alison Stillman's role in Serena Ventures? Ive always been fascinated with technology, and Ive always loved how it really shapes our lives, said Ms. Williams, who has been investing for nine years. Alison Rapaport: I never thought Id pursue a career in venture. Serena Ventures has a market cap of $14 billion and 29 active investments. WebAllison Stillman is the director of Aroma Blue, bringing aromatherapy to people in recovery. To raise a child it takes a village. One recent investment they made is Fiveable, a woman-led Milwaukie edtech startup helping students prepare for AP exams by offering free online resources. Alison Stillman's job functions are Entrepreneurship, Operations, Alison Stillman's LinkedIn profile can be found at, https://linkedin.com/in/aliso***illman-cfa***. At the start of February 2022, Emma and Dan travelled to Hualalai, Kona, in Hawaii. Plenty of its portfolio companies come from Silicon Valley, but two of its most recent investments came from North Carolina and Wisconsin. ]); According to her Linkedin profile, Alison is a financial expert and analyst whose job is to provide vast arrays of specualtions and predictions of the money market and help the company accordingly. She is a CFA charterholder and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. One recent investment they made is Fiveable, a woman-led Milwaukie ed-tech startup helping students prepare for AP exams by offering free online resources. I knew that I wanted to do a fund, but I worked backward, by using my own capital and then creating a track record and getting to know everyone.. Still, 76% of Serena Ventures portfolio founders come from historically underrepresented backgrounds. Were working on a mission that is bigger than any one of us and that makes me feel excited to do my job. Before starting her stint at Serena Ventures, Stillman worked as a board member at Wasserman for three months and The SpringHill Company for almost three years. "You want to do something that's going to make it easy for us to understand your business," Stillman said. Angel, Fund of Funds, Venture Capital), Number of Investments the Individual has partnered in, Announced Date: Date when the Investment is announced, Organization Name: Name of the organization that received the investment, Investor Name: Name of the investor who participated in the Investment, Lead Investor: This field indicates whether an investor led/organized the investment, Funding Round: Name of the funding round where the Investment is made, Money Raised: Amount of money raised in Funding Round, Total number of current Jobs the person has, Organization Name: This is the name of the organization, Title At Company: Title of a Person's Job, Start Date: Start date of the Person's Job, CB Rank (Hub): Algorithmic rank assigned to the top 100,000 most active Hubs, Total number of events the individual appeared in, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Finance and Operations & Information Management. I feel like I go to sleep getting messages from her and wake up getting messages from her, Rapaport told Fortune. In addition to growing the reach and impact of the SV portfolio, Alison is the person founders turn to when they need pointed advice, detailed feedback, and tough love. Thats how we met. That is exactly what we are going to talk about in this article. Its incredible working with founders to help them solve everyday problems as well as find new companies along the way. When she is not working on the Business Development team at Ada Support, she is avidly baking and elevating Black culinary creatives on Instagram , listening to a podcast, or digging into a good book. Serena Williams founded Serena Ventures in 2014. We invest in diverse teams because we stand by the belief that diverse leadership and diverse thoughts have the best returns, both financially and socially. Previously, Alison was a Vice President at JPMorgan Chase and Read More Contact Alison Stillman's Phone Number and Email Last Update 11/24/2022 9:52 AM Email a***@serenaventures.com Engage via Email Contact Number (***) ***-**** Engage via Not surprisingly, thats a big reason why women and entrepreneurs of color struggle to access venture funding. Moreover, in May 2021, the two soulmates looked chic as they attended their friend's wedding in Wailea-Makena. On that front, Alison advocates working with organizations like BLCK VC or All Raise. env: 'prod', Privacy Policy WebDiscover any aliases as well as possible relatives and associates of Alison Rapaport Stillman. Learn more about the 20+ companies we've invested in and what's next. Nacho lover Im the most non-taking-a-chance kind of a person, but I felt like a seed was where we wanted to be.. The founding partners of Serena Ventures are Ms. Williams and Alison Rapaport Stillman. ABOUT It is dominated by men who try to solve problems and fund innovation for a nation that is rich in socioeconomic diversity yet neither funders nor founders adequately represent our nation.